1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a filtering apparatus for a hard disk drive which enables filtering of particles in a housing accommodating a hard disk.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a hard disk drive is used as an auxiliary memory device of a computer. FIG. 1A shows a conventional hard disk drive. Referring to the drawing, the conventional hard disk drive includes a housing 1, a hard disk 4 installed in the housing 1 and a filtering apparatus.
The housing 1 includes a base 3 where the hard disk 4 is rotatably installed, and a cover member 2 coupled to the base 3 from above to protect the hard disk 4. Normally, hard disks are installed in multiple layers to store a large amount of information. A head 6 installed at an end portion of an actuator arm 5 records or reproduces information on or from the hard disk 4 rotating at high speed.
The filtering apparatus is for filtering particles such as dust unnecessarily existing in the housing 1. The filtering apparatus includes a filter 7, and a holder 8 provided at the bottom 2a of the cover member 2.
The filter 7 has a structure like that of a sponge to facilitate filtering of particles. The filter 7 is supported by being encompassed by the holder 8. The holder 8 is formed to protrude from the bottom 2a of the cover member 2. The holder 8 is provided as a pair of holders which are separated a predetermined distance from each other to support the filter 7 from both sides thereof.
In the above structure, when the hard disk 4 rotates at high speed in a direction indicated by an arrow A, particles in the housing 1 flow with air along with the rotation of the hard disk 4. The flowing particles are moved toward the edge side of the cover member 2 and filtered by the filter 7.
However, in the conventional filtering apparatus having the above structure, the holder 8 is formed to protrude from the bottom 2a of the cover member 2 only. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1B, gaps G1 and G2 are formed between the filter 7 and the bottom 2a of the cover member 2, and the filter 7 and the upper surface 3a of the base 3, respectively. As the particles in the housing 1 pass through the gaps G1 and G2 without being filtered, the filtering performance of the filter 7 is lowered.
A shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, another conventional filtering apparatus has been adopted in a hard disk drive, in which a holder 8xe2x80x2 is provided on an upper surface 3a of the base and the filter 7 is supported by the holder 8xe2x80x2. In this case, however, gaps G1 and G2 are formed between the filter 7 and the bottom 2a of the cover member 2, and the filter 7 and the upper surface 3a of the base 3, respectively, so that the filtering performance of the filter 7 is also lowered.
To solve the above problems, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a filtering apparatus for a hard disk drive in which the structure of a holder is improved so that the effect of filtering is improved.
Accordingly, to achieve the above objective, there is provided a filtering apparatus for a hard disk drive which comprises a housing in which a hard disk is rotatably installed, a filter for filtering particles from air flowing in the housing, and a holder installed at the top and bottom of the inside of the housing for supporting the filter by encompassing an upper portion and a lower portion thereof, so that a gap is not generated between the filter and the top, and between the filter and the bottom.
It is preferred in the present invention that the holder comprises a main holder protruding from the top of the inside of the housing and having a support groove for supporting the filter by encompassing one end portion of the filter, and an auxiliary holder protruding from the bottom of the inside of the housing corresponding to the main holder and having an accommodating groove for supporting the filter by encompassing the other end portion of the filter.
It is preferred in the present invention that the main holder comprises a pair of main support portions protruding to a predetermined height from the top of the inside of the housing and separated a predetermined distance from each other, and an auxiliary support portion formed between the main support portions to be lower in height than the main support portions, wherein the support groove is formed throughout the main support portions and the auxiliary support portion.
It is preferred in the present invention that the main holder and the auxiliary holder are formed to have the same height, each of which comprises a pair of main support portions protruding from the top and bottom of the inside of the housing to a predetermined height and at a predetermined interval, and an auxiliary support portion formed between the main support portions to be lower in height than the main support portions, wherein the support groove and the accommodating groove are formed throughout the main support portions and the auxiliary support portion.
It is preferred in the present invention that the holder comprises a main holder protruding from the bottom or the top of the inside of the housing and having a support groove for supporting the filter by encompassing one end portion of the filter, and an accommodating portion formed to be indented from the bottom or top of the inside of the housing corresponding to the main holder, for supporting the filter by encompassing the other end portion of the filter.
It is preferred in the present invention that the holder comprises a main holder protruding from the bottom or the top of the inside of the housing and having a support groove for supporting the filter by encompassing an edge of the filter, and a sealing member for forming a seal between the main holder or the top of the inside of the housing, and between the main holder and the bottom.
It is preferred in the present invention that an opening through which air passes is formed at the main holder and a support groove is formed at an inner surface of the opening.
It is preferred in the present invention that the filtering apparatus for a hard disk drive further comprises an actuator arm installed in one of the corner portions in the housing and capable of pivoting across the hard disk, and when a corner portion which is diagonal to the actuator arm in the housing is defined to be a first corner and a corner portion which is close to the first corner in a direction in which the hard disk rotates is defined to be a second corner, the holder is installed in the second corner.
It is preferred in the present invention that the filtering apparatus for a hard disk drive further comprises a first guide portion, extended from one side of the holder to face the hard disk and maintain a predetermined angle with an input surface of the filter, for guiding air flowing in the housing toward the input surface of the filter, and a second guide portion, extended from the other side of the holder to face the hard disk and maintain a predetermined angle with a rear surface of the filter, to prevent the air from flowing back to the rear surface of the filter.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a filtering apparatus for a hard disk drive which comprises a housing including a base on which a hard disk is rotatably installed and a cover member coupled to the base from above, a filter for filtering particles from air flowing in the housing, and a holder, installed at a bottom of the cover member and an upper surface of the base, for supporting the filter by encompassing one end portion and the other end portion of the filter, so that a gap is not generated between the filter and the bottom of the cover member, and between the filter and the ceiling of the base.